'Customary rhetoric' won't solve J&K problem: Sonia Gandhi

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday assured the government of its cooperation to deal with Pakistan-sponsored terrorism but asked it to come out with a strategy to deal with the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, saying mere 'customary rhetoric' would not help resolve the problem.

The Kalu Chak incident would "tempt the government to resort to customary rhetoric, but it is no substitute for strategy. If it has any strategy, it should spell it out clearly."

The incident had exposed the 'weaknesses' in the country's security apparatus, she said and sought to know the strategy and plan of the government to check such brutalities in view of the fact that with the melting of snow, infiltration was bound to increase.

"We will continue to stand by the government on such vital issues," Gandhi told the Lok Sabha while initiating a special discussion on the terrorist attack on bus passengers and an army camp near Jammu on Tuesday.

Attacking the government for its failure to take effective steps despite 'unprecedented support from the Congress, other opposition parties and the country' to resolve problem, Gandhi said the government, including the allies of the ruling NDA, had been sending out conflicting statements on the ways to tackle terrorism.

"We believe that the government must be clear in its objective," Gandhi said, adding assembly elections in J&K were round the corner and that both the state government and the Centre must ensure that the polls are held on time.

Steps should be taken to see that voters are able to exercise their franchise in a free and fair manner, the leader of the opposition said.

Recalling the December 13 attack on Parliament and the October one strike on the J&K assembly, Gandhi said these incidents were 'manifestations of the proxy war against us from across the border'.

Gandhi said the government should have been alert about the possibility of such incidents in view of the fact that they occur whenever foreign dignitaries are in India. (US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Christina Rocca was in Delhi when terrorists struck near Jammu).

Stating that large section of the ruling Pakistani establishment does not want peace with India, she said they sabotaged prospects of reconciliation in the state.

Expressing confidence that peace and normalcy would return to J&K, she recalled that India had been able to counter a similar situation in Punjab some years ago.

However, she sought a convincing explanation from the government about concrete benefits gained from the troop mobilisation on the border for the last five months.

Wondering whether the international coalition against terrorism has helped India in any way, Gandhi said, "We must recognise that ultimately we have to tackle terrorism within our borders ourselves."

She said Pakistan was not prepared to fulfil India's demands, including return of 20 most wanted terrorists, and neither it has changed its policy and attitude towards cross-border terrorism.

Welcoming the new focus on terrorism, the Congress president said the world awoke to the menace of terrorism only after the September 11 strikes in the United States though India had been suffering from its tragic consequences long before.

Gandhi said despite the country facing such a serious problem, India's diplomatic efforts were found to be wanting in sensitising international opinion in its favour.

BJP member Madan Lal Khurana said Pakistan should be told 'enough is enough' and that India should take action by striking terrorist camps there.

An agitated Khurana said New Delhi should take strong diplomatic measures against Pakistan and withdraw the 'Most Favoured Nation' status granted to that country.

He also demanded abrogation of the Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan and criticised the US for believing that Pakistan would take action against terrorists.

Khurana regretted that 400,000 Kashmiri Pandits had become refugees in their own country for the last 12 years owing to the Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in J&K.